Gifts Cherished Forever: Journey Down Memory Lane

Hey! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I love this time of the year. It gives me an opportunity to chill out with friends, family and hardly concern myself with work or meeting deadlines. You all must be wondering where I have exactly been for the last two weeks. Well, my friends and I had planned a trip to Hawaii! It was the best and the most wonderful sojourn ever. The long sandy beaches and the resplendent glow of the mellow sun beckons me every time I close my eyes even now. If there is a paradise on earth, it is there for sure.

Had an amazing Christmas party at my place this weekend after returning. We talked, we laughed, we ate, we drank and danced till the wee hours of the morning. And finally today I decided to return to my darling blog. I have been making posts on birthday gifts for all and sundry but today I decided to go down memory lane and write about some of the cherished gifts I have received over the years.

My grandma is clever at knitting. All my life, I have worn scarfs and ponchos knit by her. Every year till date, she knits something special for me on my birthday. It all began with mittens when I was just a baby, and the tradition continues. She is a sweetheart.

Strawberry Shortcake dolls were a craze during the 1980s. I was not much of a doll lover, in fact toy cars fascinated me more. But this doll with its sweet strawberry scent captured my interest and receiving the same on my third birthday from dad was so cool. Pound puppies produced by Mattel, and Digital Pet were two other toys I still cherish. My mom is a bit allergic to pets, so she never let me keep one. Naturally, I satiated my passion for pets through these stuffed toys and virtual pets.

Easy Bake Oven was the next best gift in line for my 10th birthday. I used to watch commercials featuring this toy but had never quite imagined it would prove to be a source of such entertainment once my maternal aunt gifted it to me.

I began dating at 14, was so tomboyish that dating seemed more of a joke to me initially. But on my 15th birthday, a cute guy presented me a beautiful bracelet with my name etched on it. He even took me out on a date to watch 'Gone With The Wind'. His car was packed with large bunches of roses and they all smelt so good. I still call that my most romantic night out.

Attended a live U2 concert in 1997, tickets gifted by my godfather, Greg. Oh! What a delightful experience that was.

Next is the one most comical yet adventurous gift my brother gave me. He organized a trip to a remote island with our friends for two days. Unfortunately, he had a tiff with his girlfriend and forgot all about the food. To top it all, he messed up the dates and instead of asking the boatmen to arrive after two days, he told him to pick us up four days later. Like castaways we then began to hunt for our food. It was tiresome but inspired by Robinson Crusoe and being accustomed to camping, we managed rather well. I would say the blunder turned into a really memorable and one of a kind gift.

This year, went para gliding with friends. A gift it takes just one word to define - AWESOME!

Each and every gift I have received till now are unique in themselves. For me, what ultimately matters is not the gift but the emotion and affection reflected in people's wishes. Its truly an honor to be loved and remembered by those you cannot live without.
So, whats on your list of favorite birthday gifts?